Machinery World - September 2016

NEWS NEWS NEWS
cnf buys
maTsuura as
“posT brExiT”
ExporTs groW
CNF Precision has just bought its fourth
Matsuura machining centre to cope with
growing 'Post-Brexit' demand from
customers in the US and China. The new
Matsuura MX-520 5-axis machining centre
will be delivered in September.
The Aylesbury based subcontractor has
many high end machine tools on the shop
floor that already include a 32-pallet
Matsuura MAM72-35V 5-Axis, two
Matsuura H.Plus-300 PC15 Pallet horizontal
machines, Nakamura multi Axis Mill/Turn
and Citizen Sliding Heads. They are also
aerospace approved to AS9100 and ISO9001.
With many of its machine tools geared for
volume production, the latest Matsuura MX-
520 has been added to the CNF plant list to
further enhance prototyping and small batch
production capacity.
Commenting on the purchase, CNF
Precision's Managing Director, Mr Neil
Fearnley says: "The addition of the Matsuura
5-axis will enable us to rapidly turnaround
complex prototypes. By extending our 5-axis
prototyping and small batch capability, we
will have the facility to win more long term
production contracts that arrive off the back
of turning out more prototype projects."
The aim of turning out more prototypes,
and consequently winning more long term
projects, is a result of CNF's export business,
as Mr Fearnley continues: "Our work for non-
EU countries continues to increase and we
are confident that the Brexit vote will have a
positive impact on our export business as
trade agreements with the UK are established
across the world. Unfortunately the mainstream
media organisations are intent on
talking the UK into recession. I certainly
wouldn't have made such a considerable
investment in the new Matsuura, had I not
been optimistic about the prospects for UK
manufacturing moving forward."
Tel: 01296 481727
Email: sales@cnfengineering.com
Tel: 01656 738566
Email: michie@matsuuma.co.uk
forTh gEnEraTion
TakEs on nEW challEngEs
French & Son is a household name in
Heathfield, Sussex as for over three
generations it has served the local
community with garage and taxi services.
While these businesses continue to thrive,
fourth generation Charlie French is looking
in a different direction to keep the family
business expanding, making full use of his
motorsport connections.
Charlie’s involvement with motorsport,
including assisting in the pits as a mechanic
for some Rally Cross teams, as well as racing
his own bright green Ford Escort mk2 at
track days led him away from the family
businesses to work for engine builder and
British Rally Cross Champion Julian
Godfrey, whose engineering company is just
up the road from French & Son Engineering.
After eight years with Julian, Charlie had
become familiar with the operation of the
XYZ machines used so, with the support of
his father Stuart, decided to set up his own
manufacturing business.
Initially focussing on supplying
aftermarket parts for car and motorcycle
enthusiasts, French & Son Engineering took
space in a local industrial unit and invested
in an XYZ 710 VMC vertical machining
centre. That was in February 2016. Since then
the reputation of Charlie French and his
ability to problem solve and add value to
existing components, has brought him to the
attention of several businesses who are
putting work his way.
The choice of XYZ Machine Tools for
French & Son’s move into machining was
influenced by Charlie’s experience with
Julian Godfrey. In terms of experience
Charlie is virtually self-taught in both
Dynashape, the experienced sawblade
servicing and manufacturing specialist, has
secured a new 12-month contract with
Britain’s largest specialist cold roll-forming
company, voestalpine Metsec plc.
The contract is for the supply of TIALNcoated
SHSS (Super High Speed Steel) and
TCT (Tungsten Carbide Tipped) sawblades,
as well as for sawblade remanufacturing.
“This will be the second year that we have
provided sawblade services for Metsec,”
comments Dynashape’s Managing Director,
Chris Parkes, “and I am absolutely delighted
that the team at Metsec has chosen to appoint
us again. When we first won the business in
2015, we demonstrated how our sawblades
were capable of delivering in the region of
3,000 cuts per blade. That’s around 900 more
cuts per blade than Metsec was achieving
using a competitor’s products. More
importantly, it underlines the true cost
effectiveness of the improved sawblade
technology that is employed by Dynashape.”
Providing Metsec with sawblades that
CADCAM and machine operation. Up until
purchasing the XYZ 710 VMC he had
received no formal training and even now
has only taken two of his allocated training
days from XYZ on the new machine. The
XYZ VMC is central to the XYZ VMC range
and provides impressive capability at a very
competitive price. As standard it is equipped
with a 20 hp, 8000 revs/min, BT40 spindle
axis travels of 710 x 450 x 500 mm, with
performance enhanced through use of a 4000
kg solid ribbed casting in its construction.
“We know we have a long way to go, but
our plans are to achieve more in the next 12
to 18 months in order to allow us to carry out
our expansion plan,” says Charlie French. “In
addition, we hope to develop our own
product range by enhancing existing
aftermarket motorsport parts, developing
them to improve their performance and
longevity for customers. For our business to
business expansion, we see our ability to
work with customers to enhance their
current products by helping to reduce
weight, improve performance and lower
manufacturing costs.
Tel: 01823 674200
Email:
nigel.atherton@xyzmachinetools.com
Web: www.xyzmachinetools.com
dynashapE providEs rEal bEnEfiTs
for mETsEc
have a much longer life, however, really is
only part of the story. Dynashape’s
considerable investment in the latest CNC
sawblade manufacturing technologies – the
same machinery that is used by leading
sawblade producers globally – means it is
also able to remanufacture Metsec’s blunt
blades to ‘as new’ standards.
Dynashape is part of the Addison Group,
a UK-based organisation that has been at the
forefront of metal sawing technology since
1956.
Tel: 01384264950
Email: news@addisonsaws.co.uk
Web: www.addisonsaws.co.uk
12 Machinery World, September 2016